


The Floor is Lava

by chaosLydia



Series: Eli Vanto Week 2018 [3]
Category: Star Wars: Thrawn Alliances - Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Thrawn Series - Timothy Zahn (2017)
Genre: Fun and games isn't fun and games
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-24
Updated: 2018-09-24
Packaged: 2019-07-16 15:28:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16088927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaosLydia/pseuds/chaosLydia
Summary: Eli discovers that the Chiss don't like games.Eli Vanto Week Day 6: Csilla/Post-Empire/Rules





	The Floor is Lava

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Forces of Gravity](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13975593) by [Calipsan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calipsan/pseuds/Calipsan), [chaosLydia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaosLydia/pseuds/chaosLydia). 



> Continuing to skip around Eli Vanto Week, this will probably be my last contribution for it (since it ended last week)
> 
> Again, this is me practicing and putting words out into the world with little editing.
> 
> WARNING: Massive spoilers for Thrawn: Alliances
> 
> I would consider this part of my universe for my fic Forces of Gravity.  
> Thanks for joining me in Eli Vanto Week!

“The floor is lava! Get up now!” Eli laughed as he leapt up onto the wooden chair.

The young Chiss girl, just recently turned eight a few weeks ago, laughed as she clambered up into the chair next to him. She put a hand on the table to steady herself.

It had been almost a year since Eli arrived at the Ascendancy to be Thrawn’s ambassador to the Chiss, whatever the heck that meant. The turmoil of adjusting to a new society hadn’t been an easy one. The Chiss definitely didn’t like outsiders, and Eli could tell they only tolerated him because of Thrawn. His brother, Thrass, had been slightly more welcoming, but not by much.

More than anything, he truly understood how Thrawn must have felt living in Eli’s part of the galaxy.

He was supposed to be in a military meeting with Admiral Ar’alani at the moment. But Eli wasn’t on equal status with the other important Chiss she needed to speak with. His meeting had been delayed. After an hour of waiting, Eli wandered off into the military base to pass the time.

He’d found a barrack where he knew the Sky Walkers were kept. It still blew his mind and made his chest ache that the Chiss took these little children from their families and used them as navigators on dangerous missions. _And Thrawn knew_ , Eli thought many times before and never warned him about it.

Meeting a girl named Queh’ani, he struck up a conversation with her. He knew she would be shy and, well, very Chiss. But an eight-year-old was still a child, and every kid liked to play.

Inside a study room, they had arranged the furniture in a circle. Eli taught her The Floor is Lava Game where when he yelled the command, they had to maneuver around the area without ever touching the ground. Queh’ani finally opened up to him as they laughed and clambered over the couch together.

Just has he held out his hand to help her jump to a chaise lounge, a woman’s voice boomed into the room, “What is the meaning of this!”

Ar’alani stood in the door like Death coming to visit. Her eyes glowed fiercely at the scene before her.

The child in Queh’ani vanished as she quickly dropped to floor and lowered her head to silence.

Rolling his eyes, Eli climbed off the table, “We were playing a game-“

Ar’alani barked something at the girl. Eli’s Cheuhn wasn’t the best, but he understood enough to know Queh’ani was told to get out. The girl scuttled away leaving him alone with the Admiral.

“Eli’Vanto,” Ar’alani’s boots clicked on the hardwood floor to him. She loomed much taller than Eli would ever be, “Explain yourself.”

“She’s a kid and looked like she needed some company. So I taught her a game I used to play with friends,” Eli knew whatever he said wouldn’t matter.

“The Sky Walkers are very important to the Ascendancy and our military practices. They do **not** play games,” she hissed back in a deep voice.

Heat rose in Eli’s face, “Well maybe they should! They’re kids! They should be kids.”

“They are-“

“I am talking!” he snapped back.

Shocked, Ar’alani’s pursed her lips tight, her eyes narrowing.

“Yeah they’re important, but it doesn’t make it right! They might as well be slaves! Yeah, I’ve been doing some reading on them,” he recalled the information Thrass had given him on the Chiss military and their practices. “Most willingly commit to this fate, but what about the ones who don’t want to? It’s not right to make some four year do something they don’t want to do! Children can’t make those decisions. That’s like putting them on trial with no lawyer. It only ends in disaster for their health. Someone has to protect these kids. If that’s me, then I happily accept that position!”

Ar’alani waited a moment before growling, “That is not the position Thrawn laid out for you.”

“Then I’ll make it my job all by myself if I have to. I’m sure he’d understand. He’s was way nicer than any the rest of you will ever be. Kinder than you are.”

“Meaning?”

“I see why Thrawn broke up with you,” Eli spat out.

Her face twisted into a rare thing for a Chiss: she felt pain at his words. It was realization that Thrawn had told this human something personal about his life with her before he left.

Eli didn’t care that he lied. Thrawn left Ar’alani when he left all the Chiss to come to the Empire. But Eli was so mad at the moment, he couldn’t care less that he hurt her.

Shouldering by her, Eli stormed out of the room leaving Ar’alani in stunned silence.


End file.
